U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,793 discloses a method and apparatus for foaming a shell component. The shell component is inserted into a cavity mold and is held in place therein by providing a plurality of vacuum ports in the cavity mold which, when activated will draw the shell component against the cavity mold.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,576 discloses a mold apparatus that has a holding pin for connecting a metal top of a ski in a mold for molding a fiberglass epoxy resin to the metal top.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,170 discloses a foam mold having strips interposed between cover sheets for fastening the cover sheets within a mold apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,736 discloses mold apparatus having clamps for securing an elastic membrane to the periphery of the mold.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,046 discloses a magnet in a mold apparatus for locating an insert therein with respect to mold halves utilized in the molding process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,542 discloses a method for molding a hook and loop type fastener strip in a seat cushion. The mold apparatus includes a separate steel plate and a magnet in the mold member for securing the hook and loop fastener in place on the mold prior to foaming the seat.
One problem in prior art arrangements for retaining a skin or insert in a mold is that the mold apparatus includes separate fixture parts such as pins, magnets or clamps that require separate manipulation to connect the skin or insert on the mold apparatus for retaining it in place thereon.
In the manufacture of many composite products, a flexible skin or shell component is placed in the mold prior to directing foam precursors into the mold for forming a foam layer against the back of the skin layer. Currently, vinyl skins are held in place in a pour mold member by use of masking tape or vacuum as set forth in the above-identified -793 patent. However, in certain cases where the skin is thick or the retainers have variable dimensions, the skin can be pulled into the cavity when the mold closes to cause wrinkles to develop in the skin. Such wrinkles are retained in the final composite product once the foam layer is molded against the back side of the wrinkled skin. Such products must be scrapped. In the case of products such as instrument panels or other automotive interior products, the cost of such scrap material can be substantial.